Afraid of the Dark
by Dark Lady of Slytherin
Summary: Regulus watches his older brother pack for school and worries about what he'll do when tomorrow night comes, and he wakes up in the middle of the night with no one there to comfort him.
1. Prologue

He sat with his feet crossed under him, idly watching his older brother pack for school. He was jealous--very jealous--but knew that in a few years he would be able to join Sirius at Hogwarts. That he would be able to sit among his peers from the Slytherin table and watch the other students get sorted. He could hardly wait!

Regulus moved across the room to sit on Sirius's bed...who would take care of him when he woke from a frightening dream? Or wipe away the tears when he skinned his knee or a doxy bit him? He was a Black, and Blacks don't cry--or show pain--or admit to anything to anyone. Sirius was his brother, though; Sirius took care of him when their mum and dad were off partying with the Malfoys, Lestranges, and those other, powerful pure-blooded families. Sirius was his hero. Sirius was brave and courageous, valiant, determined, and proud! Not all those qualities, Regulus knew, were valued by the Black family; being courageous and brave were not normal traits for a boy raised by pure-blood ethics. Determination, cunning, ambition, and pride were drilled into their heads from the moment they could understand what the words meant.

"Sirius?" Regulus questioned, looking up at the dark haired boy.

"What is it, Regulus?" Sirius asked in reply, looking up from the trunk he was packing to his younger brother.

"Do you have enough room in there to stow me away?"

Sirius laughed and had made a comment that if he could, he would. "I'm not sure. Get in and we'll find out."

Regulus hopped off the bed and dashed over to Sirius's trunk. He scowled down at the trunk, which had very little room; he wasn't going to fit in there. Placing a foot in, he stumbled, but Sirius steadied his balance, helping him to stand on the books and robes. He was careful not to break careful not to step on anything; Sirius would get angry about him accidentally ruining something. Laying down, he looked up at Sirius.

"You won't squish me?"

"Would I do something like that?" Sirius asked mischievously, closing the lid slowly. "Fingers out of the way." He ordered, not wanting to break a finger or two and having to explain it to their mum.

The lid snapped shut and darkness covered Regulus. Regulus had always had a fear of the dark; he was _petrified_ of being alone in the dark. Petrified of someone sneaking up on him, of someone getting the better of him because the dark gave him a weakness. It made him tremble, made him sob, made him everything he hated about himself. That was always why he snuck through the house--down the hall and into Sirius's room--and crawled into the big bed with his older brother. Sirius protected him from those scary thoughts of shame and weakness.

He panicked and pounded his fists on the lid, wailing as he did so. Regulus was breathing heavily; terrified that Sirius would leave him in there. That Sirius would be called away and forget that he was in there. 

When the lid opened, Regulus jumped out. Still shaking, still scared, and worst of all: crying.

"I'm sorry, Regulus," Sirius admitted, walking over to his scared brother and wrapping his arms affectionately around his shoulders. "I should have remembered you're afraid of the dark."

"What am I going to do when you're not here tomorrow night?" Regulus questioned, his small hands clutching at his brother's robes. "I can't go to Mum or Dad."

"I have an idea. Wait here," Sirius ordered and left Regulus standing alone.

He took a seat on the closed trunk, his feet just barely touching the floor. He was short and lanky. He was nothing like his brother in the aspect of body proportion. Sirius was perfect, not to mention handsome, and Regulus had no problem admitting it. He envied his brother's looks, hoping that he, one day, grew up to look like him. He had lighter hair, though, a darker shade of grey for his eyes, and a lighter complexion; not at all like Sirius's dark, brown hair, bluish grey eyes, and perfectly bronzed skin.

Waiting was never something Regulus was good at. He was impatient and wanted everything the very second someone made mention of it. Hopping off the trunk, he trotted over to the door and swung it open, looking up and down the hallway for Sirius.

A soft smile formed on his face as he watched Sirius round the corner from the playroom. Something was in his hands, but Regulus couldn't make out what. Quickly closing the bedroom door, Regulus went to sit back on the trunk and wait for Sirius, knowing he wouldn't be very long now. He had to make it look like he was doing what he was told.

The door opened again and Sirius entered. Whatever was in his hands was now sheltered behind his back so that Regulus couldn't see. Squirming didn't help; he couldn't see around the older boy's body! He watched a lopsided grin appear on Sirius's face as he stood at the door. Oh, how Regulus was annoyed by the grin. He wanted whatever Sirius had, and didn't want to play any more games to get it!

"What do you have there?" Regulus asked, trying to keep his voice neutral. 

"Maybe something, maybe nothing," Sirius replied. "Depends."

"Sirius! Tell me!" Regulus scowled.

Laughing, Sirius moved across the room. "Why should I?"

"Because…" Regulus paused. "Because you said you had an idea about what I'm going to do tomorrow night when you're gone."

"Did I?" Sirius teased.

"I hate you!" Regulus yelled coldly.

"No you don't."

"Yes I do!"

"Then I'm not going to tell you at all."

"Just tell me and maybe I won't hate you, anymore!"

"That's some incentive, seeing as I'm not going to be here for ten months for the next seven years."

"Sirius, do you always have to be a jerk?"

"Yes."

"Why won't you just tell me?"

"Because."

"Because isn't an answer."

"It is now."

"I really am beginning to hate you," Regulus said sourly, moving towards the door to leave. "I'm going to bed before Mum gets angry."

"You could just stay here... you know you'll end up here later."

"Will I?" Regulus asked, looking over his shoulder. "When'd you become a Seer?"

"I don't have to be a Seer to know you're still afraid of the dark."

Regulus scowled. "Maybe I was wrong about you."

"Wrong about what?" Sirius asked, confused by the comment.

"Doesn't matter."

"Yes it does, or you wouldn't have said it."

"Good night, Sirius."

"Regulus," Sirius said, grabbing his brother's arm. "Here. I used to sleep with it when I was younger. You aren't the only one afraid of the dark."

Regulus looked down at the stuffed Salazar Slytherin doll. He remembered seeing the thing in the playroom among a number of other toys. He had never imagined it got much use, but if Sirius had used it when he was afraid of the dark, then maybe he could, too; because if Sirius could get away with it, then why couldn't he?

"Sirius! Regulus! Bed. Now!" they both heard their mother yell from the bottom of the stairs.

"Coming to bed?" Sirius said moving across the room, pulling back the bed sheets as he did so.

Regulus nodded, and set the toy down on the trunk before crawling into bed beside Sirius.

"Sirius?" Regulus asked, staring up at the ceiling.

"Yes?"

"You'll protect me forever, right?"

"Forever's a long time, Regulus. But as long as I'm alive, I will."

A small smile crept across Regulus's face. "Promise?"

"Promise," Sirius repeated. "Good night, Regulus."

"'Night Sirius."


	2. Sirius to the Rescue

"_Sirius?" Regulus asked, staring up at the ceiling._

"Yes?" 

"You'll protect me forever, right?"

"Forever's a long time, Regulus. But as long as I'm alive, I will."

A small smile crept across Regulus's face. "Promise?"

"Promise," Sirius repeated…

It was hard to forget that night. It was hard to forget the night after, too. Somehow, though, Regulus had managed to sleep soundly through the night with his brother's toy tucked under his arms. Before long, the toy was no longer needed and the fear faded.

Sitting in the dark, dank, decrepit building brought back all the fears and worries he had when he was a small child. When had Sirius to give him comfort. When Sirius had no problem with helping out his younger brother; before Sirius left him to live with the Potters. He never did fully understand why his brother had left. All he knew was that Sirius had to, and that it had something to do with the whole family.

He'd written Sirius last night, reminding him of his promise, reminding him of that night. He needed help, needed some one that he could trust. Sirius had always been there to help him, had even begged him to reconsider joining the Dark Lord. Had he reconsidered, had he not joined the Dark Lord, he would never have met Theresa. He would never be expecting a baby, nor hold in his possession and item worthy of Voldemort's scorn. Now, he had to hide or be killed.

Regulus turned his attention from the harsh, cold night, and looked down at the sleeping woman on the make-shift bed, her hands curled under her. She looked so pristine, like a girl he'd bring home to his mother, but wouldn't because she was foul. She wasn't worth his mother's time, and should never have been worth his, but she was. Theresa was something special, someone worth taking the time to get to know, to understand, to whom he could hand his life over. She was the reason he had done what he had done. She was the reason they were hiding out in an abandoned Muggle warehouse, shivering in the cold, winter night, and waiting for their only hope to arrive. She and the unborn child she carried were the reason they hid... well, that's what he kept telling himself. He knew better. It wasn't just her. It was what he had taken with him when he had left the Wizarding world.

The door opened, pulling Regulus from his thoughts on the woman he sacrificed all to be with. He drew his wand quickly to point it at the shadowy figure in the doorway. Cursing the dark, Regulus shivered as that familiar uncertainty returned. The weakness that left him cold and terrified, the one he never really grew out of: his fear of the dark.

"Who goes there?" he shouted, masking his voice so that anyone who knew it wouldn't recognize who had spoken.

"It's Sirius Black," answered the familiar voice of his brother.

"God, Sirius, couldn't you have knocked or something?"

"You wouldn't have answered if I had."

"Yes, I would have. The Dark Lord doesn't knock, you should I could have killed you "

"But you didn't."

"God damn it, Sirius Here I am, trusting you with something important, but fuck, you just waltz in here like I should assume you'd be the only person to know where to find me. Do you ever use your head?"

"Would you relax? No one knows you're here but me," Sirius said, walking towards his brother. "Would you put that damn thing away, before you poke someone's eye out?"

"Sorry," Regulus said sheepishly. He put his wand away. "You've changed."

"I see you haven't."

"Fuck off."

"Language, Regulus. Who's the woman?" Sirius questioned with a nod towards Theresa.

"The reason you're here."

"And here I was, thinking you were in trouble," Sirius said with that lopsided grin that still irritated Regulus.

Scowling, Regulus picked up the blanket around Theresa, exposing her six-months-pregnant belly. He looked up at Sirius.

"Couldn't you have taken the subtle approach?"

"We don't have time for subtle. Nor do I think you'd have grasped it either," Regulus replied, caressing Theresa's cheek.

"You love her?"

"Enough to risk the Dark Lord's wrath." Regulus stood up and looked over at Sirius. "She's sick, though. I won't let her lose my child because she's bloody well sick. She won't return home and I won't let her stay here. Did you bring what I asked?"

Sirius nodded. "Yes. I changed enough galleons into Muggle money for you to buy a house and live for plenty of time. You might have to get a Muggle job, though. Charmed you some fake I.Ds and a diploma from one of the Universities. Lily picked it out."

"Thanks. You'll take Theresa with you?"

"I'll keep her safe, Regulus," Sirius said, looking down at the sleeping woman. "What did you do that pissed Voldemort off so much?"

"Stole something important to him," was the only answer Regulus was willing to give. "Just keep Theresa and the baby out of any possible harm. I'll come back for them when it's safe."

Sirius nodded as Regulus woke the woman. She looked startled and then frightened until Regulus explained who was there, and why.

"I'm not leaving you " she protested.

"Theresa, please. For the baby's sake, go with Sirius. He'll keep you both safe until I can get a home for us."

"I don't mean to interrupt, but if we're going, we should go now," Sirius said.

"Sirius is right," Regulus said, kissing Theresa. "I'll see you soon."

"I don't want--"

"Don't argue with me, Theresa," he said harshly, making her wince.

"All right," she said, looking at Sirius and then to Regulus. "I love you," she whispered before she and Sirius left the building, leaving Regulus alone.

He watched them walk down the abandoned road. Theresa looked back no less than five times before they Disapparated. _At least she will be safe_, he thought, and turned away from the window to look down at the items Sirius had brought for him. Now, he just had to find somewhere safe to live and a job before contacting Sirius about bringing Theresa to him.


	3. He's Born

"_I'm not leaving you!" she protested._

"_Theresa, please. For the baby's sake, go with Sirius. He'll keep you both safe until I can get a home for us."_

"_I don't mean to interrupt, but if we're going, we should go now," Sirius said._

"_Sirius is right," Regulus said, kissing Theresa. "I'll see you soon."_

"_I don't want--"_

"_Don't argue with me, Theresa," he said harshly, making her wince._

"_All right," she said, looking at Sirius and then to Regulus. "I love you," she whispered before she and Sirius left the building, leaving Regulus alone._

Regulus sat alone in the house he had bought three months ago with the money Sirius had loaned him. He had even gone and foundhimself a job at one of the Muggle newspapers. He was a damn good reporter, and his readers loved reading his work. He had refused the promotion to work as an editor of the paper. He would not risk his picture being seen on a frequent basis.

He had just sat down to write his letter to Sirius, asking for him to bring Theresa to him, when a familiar owl flew through the open window. He knew the writing on the envelope and he immediately began to worry. Something was wrong. He worried that Theresa's safety had been compromised.

Reading through the letter quickly, Regulus opted not to write another letter. Instead, he Apparated immediately to St. Mungo's, where he found Sirius waiting for him. He didn't like being there.

"Sirius," he said trying to mask the panic-stricken tone in his voice.

"Theresa is fine, the medi-witches are looking after her right now." Sirius said and put a hand on Regulus' shoulder. "Her water broke at about three o'clock this morning."

"And you just wrote me now? It's three o'clock in the afternoon, Sirius." Regulus said sharply.

"You were at work. Plus, the longer you are here, the more you are at risk. I figured if I waited until she was closer to delivery. Besides, the medi-witch isn't allowing anyone into the room. So, you'd just be waiting out here." Sirius said. He laughed. "Come on, cheer up, you're about to be a father."

"I'm not sure I'm ready to be a father," Regulus said dully. He walked with Sirius into a waiting area. "How has she been?" he asked.

"Theresa? Fine. She misses you. Talks about you all the time. How you two met, how she's looking forward to moving in with you and raising your baby together," Sirius explained. He smiled. "You do have everything ready to take her and the baby home, don't you?"

"Yes," Regulus said. He looked around.

There were people pacing, and other people rushing down the halls towards rooms. But none of them seemed too interested in the fact that he was there.

"Mr. Black," a woman said walking up to them, holding a small baby wrapped in a blue blanket.

Regulus stood up and walked over to the woman. He took the baby from her arms and looked at her. "How is Theresa?" he asked.

"I am afraid she didn't make it." she said, "But your son is perfectly healthy. He will have to stay overnight for observations, but otherwise you should be able to take him home tomorrow." She added.

Regulus just barely made it to the chairs to sit down before his legs gave way. Theresa had died in labour. He wasn't fit to be a father on his own. He couldn't be a father on his own. His son needed a mother. He couldn't raise a child on the run.

Sirius sat down beside his brother and put a hand on his shoulder. "I will be back in a second. I need to check on James and Lily. They know Theresa went into labour, and they'll want to know." he said, and left Regulus to his thoughts.

He'd lost almost everything because of his being on the run. He'd missed the last three months of Theresa's pregnancy. He'd missed being there with her like he wanted to. Now Regulus was left with a son he wasn't sure what to do with. He had done a lot in his past he wasn't proud of. A lot he wished he could change. But the two things he was proud of was being in love with Theresa and having a son. He just had to find a way to function without her while raising his son.

Sirius returned and looked at Regulus holding his son. "Figured out what you're going to do?" he asked, a forlorn look on his face.

"Talk to me, Sirius. Something is bothering you. Something more than you're letting on," Regulus said.

"Today is not a very good day, apparently. First, Theresa didn't make it, and Lily's baby didn't, either." Sirius said. He looked at the baby boy in Regulus's arms. "At least he did."

"Do Lily and James know?" he asked seriously.

"Not yet. I asked the medi-witch to let me tell them. I'm just not sure how."

"Don't." Regulus sighed. "I can't raise him on my own, Sirius. I can't protect him while worrying about the Dark Lord finding me. Give him to James and Lily. Bury their child with Theresa." He looked at his brother. "They can give him a better home than I can. Do whatever you have to to make sure that he looks like Lily and James, and when he's old enough, tell him the truth. That's all I ask."

"Regulus..." Sirius looked at his brother, "are you sure about this?"

"As sure as I will ever be. I've lost Theresa, I won't lose him too. I can't risk that." Regulus said.

He handed his son to Sirius and stood. "Take care of him for me as you took care of Theresa while I was gone."

"I'll send you photos of him, I'll keep you updated on him." Sirius said. He took the baby to James and Lily.

Regulus left St. Mungo's for his house. He didn't really want to be alone, but he had no choice. He sat in the nursery he had prepared for his son and cried. He had lost his wife and child in the same day. He knew he would not have been able to take care of his son on his own. He had done the right thing by the boy.

He picked up the Salazar Slytherin doll that lay in the crib and sighed before heading to his own room as the house darkened. Tonight, he'd have a hard time sleeping. He'd have the same childish nightmares he did when he was eight, the same ones Sirius protected him from. All he had was the stupid old doll to ward off those dreams. He'd lost everything else due to his choices.


	4. My Son

"_Regulus..." Sirius looked at his brother, "are you sure about this?"_

"_As sure as I will ever be. I've lost Theresa, I won't lose him too. I can't risk that." Regulus said. _

_He handed his son over to Sirius and stood up. "Take care of him for me, like you took care of Theresa while I was gone." _

"_I'll send you photos of him, I'll keep you updated on him." Sirius said and took the baby to James and Lily. _

A year after giving up his son to Lily and James Potter, Regulus had received and owl from his brother telling him about the deaths at Godric's Hollow. How his son, Harry, had been the only survivor. After that, he heard nothing from Sirius. Not a single word. He would have gone and got Harry. He would have found a way to raise his son. But Sirius said nothing more.

For the last sixteen years, Regulus Black had been living in the muggle world, forgetting more and more about the world he left behind. Forgetting more about the reason he had left that world. Even as he went about becoming a highly renouwned reporter, publishing a biography, and earning himself a wealthy pay cheque, Regulus still felt as though something was missing. He'd return home to a bottle of cheap whiskey and then crawl into bed. His life had no meaning, especially since he had lost his whole family.

Today was like any other day. He had work, wrote his article for the evening paper, and went home. He found an owl and a letter waiting for him however, which was different than any other day. But first he went and grabbed himself a glass and whiskey before sitting down to read through the letter that had been sent to him.

_Regulus,_ it began.

_We haven't talked in nearly seventeen years, but now it's time that you come out of hiding. We need to talk, in person. Please meet me at __**her**__ grave and we can talk there._

_Sincerely,_

_S. Black_

Sighing, he put down the bottle of whiskey and the letter and went to change. If he was heading back to the wizarding world, he would need to change into something more appropriate. He just didn't know if he had anything that would fit him now.

After altering a set of robes, Regulus Apparated to Theresa's grave. He hadn't been there since the day Sirius buried her and _their son_. But this was where he was asked to meet. And that was where he'd probably get yelled at by his older brother. Though, he had reasons of his own to fight with his brother. Like where he had been for the last sixteen years. Why he heard nothing about the location of his son after Lily and James died.

It was getting dark, and even at thirty-two, Regulus Black was still afraid of the dark. As the sun set behind the trees, Regulus conitnued to wait for his brother to show up. He hated being out at night.

"Glad to see you came," Sirius said as he walked over to Regulus.

"What is this about Sirius?" Regulus said coldly, glaring at his brother in the dark.

"Harry, of course."

"Oh, the son who could have been dead for all I knew." Regulus snapped.

"Let me explain..."

"You better bloody well explain." He growled at his brother.

"Regulus," Sirius sighed and looked at his brother. "I couldn't write you because...because I was in Azkaban." he said.

"What? Since well the hell do they put perfect people into Azkaban?" Regulus asked, leaning against Theresa's headstone. He wasn't going to put up with any of this nonsense from Sirius.

"Since they believed I killed Lily, James and Peter."

Regulus out right laughed. "You? Murder them? Now, that's the best thing I've heard all day."

"It's true. After I wrote you I went after Peter, who _blew_ himself up leaving only a finger behind. I was there, and I was taken to Azkaban. I was supposed to be, after all, Lily and James' secret keeper. But they switched to Peter." Sirius explained, knowing Regulus knew absolutely nothing about this.

Regulus stopped laughing and looked at Sirius. With what little light was left, he could tell his older brother was telling the truth. "God Sirius, how'd you get out of that one?" he asked.

"My little secret," Sirius laughed and then, sighed. "Listen. Dumbledore was murdered, and no one is around to help guide Harry. I'm doing the best that I can, but...he needs his father. He needs you."

"He won't believe me. And even if he did, I'm still a Death Eater, and I'm a coward. What could I possibly give him now?" Regulus said and turned away from Sirius. "I'm not his father anymore. Besides, how is he going to believe that I am his father...why would he believe it? He's got a perfect father who died doing something noble, while I... I ran away."

"You're still his father. And he deserves to have you in his life." Sirius said. "If I weren't arrested after Lily and James were murdered, I'd have brought Harry to you."

"Yea, but you were arrested, and Harry wasn't brought to me. And besides, no one knows I'm alive. You falsified my death certificate years ago." Regulus said.

"Uh...about that, someone does know." Sirius said.

"What?" Regulus said and turned around to look at his brother. "Who the hell knows?"

"A muggle-born witch, the best friend to your son. She accidently found your death certificate when we were cleaning out the house. She realized it was a fake and brought it to me. I made her promise not to tell." Sirius said. "She'll keep it a secret."

Regulus sighed. "Should have known someone would find out."

"Look, I wouldn't have come to you if I didn't feel Harry needed your help." Sirius said.

"That's nice to know Sirius. For sixteen years I've waited to see what had come of my son, and you're telling me you would have kept it a secret longer?"

"Basically."

"Some brother," Regulus rolled his eyes and looked at him. "So what if I agree to this? How am I going to tell him?"

"Dunno. That's up to you."

"You're not helping. You know him better than I do."

"Take him away for a weekend or something. Tell him, you're helping him find the horcruxes, like Dumbledore would have wanted."

"Wait, did you said horcruxes?"

"Yes, why?"

"Shit, Sirius, that's why I ran away from the wizarding world in the first place."

"Really?" Sirius said with a smirk. "I sort of figured that out when Harry showed me the locket with the little note in it."

"Damn."

"Why else do you think I wrote you?"

"Maybe because you actually wanted to reunite me with my son?" Regulus said and looked away. "I don't know about this Sirius."

"It's about damn time you grew a back bone and faced the reason you left. You cannot let your son face it alone."

"Fine."

"Good, now come on."

"Where are we going?"

"Home."

Regulus nodded and followed Sirius back home. It wasn't like it had changed much. Except now his mother's portrait was covered up – with good reason – and the house no longer held an air of snobbishness. It felt more like a home, than a house. Which made Regulus feel a bit more comfortable.

He was lead into the living room where a bunch of people were sitting discussing the impending war. But as soon as Sirius and him walked in, the all quieted down.

"Holy crap," Remus Lupin said looking at Regulus. "You said he was..."

"Dead, I know." Sirius said and looked at Tonks who looked like she was about to pulverize him.

"Uh..." Regulus just stood there letting Sirius explain everything.

"So you're saying he left because he was in love?" Remus said and looked as though he was going to laugh like everyone else was.

Regulus turned around and left the living room. He'd let them have their moment of intense giggling. He on the other hand, was not in the mood to listen to it. He would rather get drunk than deal with them anyway. He headed into the kitchen to find Harry sitting alone with a cup of coffee in front of him.

"Sorry, didn't know anyone was in here." Regulus said.

"It's okay, I just wanted somewhere quiet to think." Harry said.

"You too eh?" Regulus walked over and poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down across from Harry.

"Who are you?" Harry asked, looking at the man now seated in front of him.

"Well, the muggles call me Richard Blotter, but that's just an alias." he said. "In the wizarding world, I'm supposed to be dead. Murdered by you-know-who."

"That doesn't really answer my question," Harry said.

Regulus laughed, "No, I guess not. I'm Regulus Black." he said and watched as Harry backed his chair away from the table. "You don't have to run or yell or anything. Sirius knows I'm here. As does everyone else. Which is why I'm in the kitchen and not in the living room. Tonks looked about ready to tackle me, and Remus just found it incredibly funny that I was in fact alive and not dead."

"How are you alive?" Harry asked.

"Uh, you see, that's a long story." Regulus said.

"I've got time." Harry added.

"Okay," Regulus said and began explaining the whole story to Harry. Leaving out the part where Harry was in fact his son.

They sat there long into the night, drinking several cups of coffee, discussing everything Regulus had missed over the last sixteen years. Regulus was glad to get the chance to meet Harry, to get to know him, and know what he was going to do. Even though he was still terrified that he had to risk losing Harry when he told him the truth.


	5. Truth Revealed

"_How are you alive?" Harry asked._

"_Uh, you see, that's a long story." Regulus said._

"_I've got time." Harry added._

"_Okay," Regulus said and began explaining the whole story to Harry. Leaving out the part where Harry was in fact his son._

After spending most of the night talking with Harry, Regulus sent the almost seventeen year old boy off to bed and sat up later himself. He had been unable to tell Harry the truth. He couldn't bring himself to breaking the poor boy's idle fantasy about his parents. He'd rather just be his guide and mentor without shattering his dreams. That was enough for him. Or at least, that's what Regulus kept telling himself.

When his watch read eight am, Regulus curse and decided to not go into work that morning. He had more important things to do. Like dealing with this family issue. He wasn't going to back away from this like he wanted. He was going to face it head on, like Sirius wanted him to. If his sixteen year old son could face the unknown then so could he.

"Morning," he heard someone say as they walked into the room. "You haven't slept have you?"

Regulus looked up at the person in the kitchen. "No, I haven't." he said and sighed. "You are up early."

Remus laughed, "I haven't slept in since I quit my job at Hogwarts." he said and sat down across from Regulus. "You look like you have something on your mind."

"You could say that," he said and shrugged.

"Why don't you lighten the load a little." Remus said.

"It's not that easy." Regulus looked away.

"Nothing ever is easy, Regulus."

"Trust me, I know that better than anyone else." He stood up and walked over to the patio door. "I just don't know what to do. Sirius wants me to 'lighten the load' as you said."

"Then listen to him."

Regulus looked over at Remus with a typical Black scowl.

"You definitely take after your brother." He said and laughed as Hermione walked in.

"Good morning, Remus." She said and looked at Regulus. "Go—morning." she paused. "I think I'll just go back to the other room and read." she said and turned around, walking right into Sirius. "Sorry." she said, and scurried off.

"Scaring the girls still Regulus?" Sirius said with a playful grin.

"Shut up, Sirius." Regulus snapped.

"What's got your wand in a knot?"

"You know what!"

"You didn't tell him?" Sirius said and sighed. "Regulus, you have to."

"Don't you think I already know that?"

"Then what's keeping you from telling him?" Remus said.

"You don't even know what we're talking about."

"I don't need to." Remus added. "You're plainly distraught about having to reveal something to someone. If you just tell this 'him' than you won't be."

"I can't! You don't understand." Regulus sighed, when his leg was tackled by a house elf. "Kreacher, get off me!" he snapped.

"You sure you weren't meant to be a Hufflepuff back at school? You're being a sappy sod." Sirius laughed and sat down next to Remus with a cup of coffee. "I'm not helping you out of this one Regulus. This is your mess now."

"My mess? How the bloody hell is it **MY** mess?" Regulus growled.

"Oh, you so do not want me to get into the details of why you're here Regulus." Sirius said with a smirk.

"I hate you!"

"I love you too, brother." Sirius said and watched his brother leave the kitchen.

"I'm not going to ask." Remus said and just shook his head.

"You'll find out soon enough," Sirius added.

Regulus wasn't even a foot out of the kitchen when he heard yelling and shouting coming from the upstairs bedrooms. He was running up the stairs before he knew what was going on. And soon joined by Sirius and Remus as he entered Harry and Ron's room. He stood there shocked at the sight.

"Shit," he cursed.

"Oops." Sirius added.

"What the hell is going on?" Harry screamed at them.

"Sirius, I'm going to kill you," Regulus said.

"Uh...Sorry?" Sirius said innocently.

"Sorry does not change this, Sirius. Sorry does not fix this." Regulus yelled at his brother, ignoring Harry's questions. "This," he pointed to Harry, "was not the right way of telling him."

"Telling me what?" Harry asked.

"I forgot all right. It happens. There's been a lot going on lately." Sirius said.

"Would someone answer me!" Harry screamed at them.

"He looks like you two did at that age." Remus said.

He walked over to Harry examining him. "Same shaggy brown hair, more blue than grey eyes, same facial features..." Harry glared at him. "Same glare."

Regulus sighed. "I guess we have some explaining to do." Regulus said. "Everything I told you last night, Harry, it was true. Except one part. My son didn't die. I gave him up, and buried a child that wasn't mine."

Realization dawned on Remus's face at what Regulus was saying. It made perfect sense now. "Crap," Remus said. "The baby you buried, was..." he looked at Sirius. "You kept this from me?"

"Hello! I'm standing right here, and none of you are making any bloody sense!" Harry shouted again.

Regulus glared at Sirius. "I'll kill you later." he said quietly to his brother and then looked at Harry. "You're not a Potter, Harry. You're a Black."

"What?" Harry said looking at Regulus as though he had grown a second head.

Sirius laughed. "I remember when you gave me a look like that Regulus."

"Shut up Sirius." Regulus snapped. "Sirius tells me you found the locket I put in place of the real one?"

"Yea, so? What does that have to do with any of this?" Harry asked.

"Everything." Regulus said. "It's how I ran into your mother. Why I gave you up to Lily and James. Why I've been living in the muggle world for the last seventeen years." Regulus explained. "I asked Sirius to keep an eye on you, to make sure they believed you were theirs. And when you were old enough, to tell you the truth."

"I don't believe this." Harry said and sat down on the end of the bed. "If what you're saying is true...and it has to be since I look like you. Then why didn't you come get me after they died?"

"I didn't know where you were. Sirius wrote me, told me what had happened and that he was going after Peter. After that, I never heard from him again until yesterday." Regulus explained. "I would have come after you, Harry. Believe me, I would have."

Harry wasn't sure what to do about any of this. How could he believe any of this? Regulus Black was a Death Eater, a murderer, a man who was supposed to be dead. Yet, now he was also supposed to be his father? It just didn't make any sense.

"I think, I need some time alone." Harry said, looking at the three adults in the room. "To sort this out."

Regulus nodded, "I'll be downstairs, when you feel like talking." he said and turned and left the room, dragging Sirius out with him.


End file.
